A sustainable outfit and a trip to Austria

A few weeks ago, I visited family in Austria for a lovely long weekend. It was definitely a trip to remember. We swam in crystal clear lakes and climbed the mountaintops of the Alps. We adored the fresh air, the serene landscapes, and the heartfelt chats. I was even surprised by the choice of vegan food that was offered by the restaurants in the little towns we visited.

I knew that comfort was at the center of this trip, so I ensured all the clothes I brought, were light, loose and comfortable. On one of the days, my outfit was completely sustainable and fair-trade, which is why I thought it would be great to share the outfit on my blog. I started buying fair-trade and sustainable clothing only about two years ago, so I still have quite a few fast-fashion pieces in my wardrobe. However, it is great to see my collection of ethical clothing growing, as time goes by. Nowadays, it is not uncommon for me to wear an all-ethical outfit.

The outfit

The outfit I wore on this day was mainly from the German brand ‘Hess Natur’, which I wrote about in my city guide to Frankfurt. This brand is completely sustainable, uses natural fibers and is fair-trade along the entire supply chain. Both the linen top and the blue chinos come from this shop. I love the loose fit on both the top and pants, as it makes for very comfortable walking attire without passing on style. The only downside of this outfit is that the linen top starts creasing very quickly (as linen tends to do). I love the look of creased linen, but with an already baggy pair of pants, the crinkly top might have been more shabby than chique. Next time, I will wear the linen top with a tighter fitting pair of pants.

On my feet, I was wearing the comfiest pair of socks from the brand BAM. This brand makes the ultra-snuggly clothes from sustainable bamboo fibers. I am completely converted to their socks now, as it is all I want to wear on my feet. I have even put them on my Christmas list already. On top of my socks, I am wearing my shoes from Veja. Since going vegan, almost 5 years ago, I haven’t bought any clothing containing animals products, except for this pair of shoes. I was so impressed by their sustainability and fair-trade credentials (much more the average vegan sneaker) that I was happy to buy a pair of sneakers containing fish leather. They also have a large range of shoes nowadays for those who want to shy away from all animal products. I will be honest, the shoes were horrendously uncomfortable at the beginning. It was even so bad that I almost thought of throwing them out. But I stuck with it and after a few months of wearing them in, I can now walk on them for hours on end.

The Swimwear

Besides wearing the sustainable outfit above, I also put on my new sustainable bathing suit for the first time. I mentioned in my sustainability round-up that I had bought a bathing suit from Batoko. The swimsuit is made from recycled plastic bottles and the brand has several cute prints to choose from. I broke in my new swimsuit in Austria, by swimming in the clear and fresh mountain lakes around Salzburg. The suit felt really comfortable and fit me perfectly. I think the cut of Batoko’s swimsuit will work well on many different types of bodies since the cut is quite straightforward. My only point of critique is that the fabric is not incredibly sturdy. I don’t mind a little nipple showing when I am cold (it is 2018!), but it is worth keeping in mind that it can happen with this swimsuit.

The Trip

Lastly, I wanted to share just a few little snippets from my trip. We only had two full days in Austria (and two travel) days, but I still feel we were able to experience so much in the small amount of time we had there. We spent our time in the countryside just outside of Salzburg. The nature in this part of the world is just absolutely breath-taking. From my little trip I have gathered a few little tips that are worth exploring if you are heading to Austria:

Hike up the Zwölfernhorn Mountain for stunning views (see photo above). Or take the funicular if you are not feeling a very steep hike.

Swim in one of the crystal clear lakes. We swam in the beautiful Mattsee during our stay, but the area around Salzburg is full of gorgeous lakes, so the pick is really yours!

Eat Manner wafers to your heart’s content. Unlike most of the Austrian cuisine, these little chocolate wafers are naturally vegan and super delicious.

These are my tips for a little trip to Austria, but I would love to know what else is worth exploring in Austria. Some of my family members will be moving to Austria in the future, so I am sure I will be back in the country more often. If you have any tips on what else is worth exploring in Austria, please let me know in the comments below!